Two longtime assistant county prosecutors — Chris Becker in Trumbull and Robert Andrews in Mahoning — filed to run as independent candidates for common pleas court judicial seats.

Becker and Andrews both filed their nominating petitions Tuesday.

Becker, who lost a common pleas court judicial seat in 2024 by 1.34% as a Democrat, filed to run for the position currently held by Judge Cynthia Westcott. Westcott had filed to run for reelection, switching her party affiliation from Democrat to Republican, and then withdrew from the race.

There are two candidates running in next week’s Republican primary for Westcott’s position: Devon Stanley, a Liberty trustee, Girard Municipal Court prosecutor and Trumbull deputy clerk of courts, and Mary Ellen Ditchey, who is Westcott’s magistrate.

Stanley was indicted last week on a felonious assault charge.

Trumbull County Republican Party Chairwoman Julia Shutt requested Stanley withdraw from the primary, which he hasn’t done.

With Westcott switching political parties, which caught Trumbull County Democratic Party officials by surprise, the political party didn’t field a candidate for the position.

Andrews is running for the judicial seat currently held by Judge John M. Durkin, who is not seeking reelection.

Two Republicans — Anissa Modarelli and Ralph Rivera, who are both assistant county prosecutors — are running in next week’s GOP primary for the party’s nomination. Attorney J. Michael Thompson is the Democratic nominee for the seat.

Andrews is a registered Democrat who joined the Mahoning County Prosecutor’s Office in 1999 after five years working for the Portage County prosecutor and then three years in private practice.

Andrews has handled more than 100 felony trials in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, including 50 homicides, and is the grand jury assistant prosecutor.

Andrews said on his campaign website that “this extensive trial experience is a necessary prerequisite for the position of common pleas judge” and “views the transition to the bench as the natural step in a career dedicated to the law.”

Becker, Trumbull County’s first assistant prosecutor, said: “I’m running for judge because our community deserves a court that is guided by law, not just politics. Judges should be independent, impartial and committed to the safety of our community.”

Becker said he was considering running for county prosecutor in 2028, assuming Prosecutor Dennis Watkins retires. Becker said he wanted to run for judge, but Westcott gave mixed signals.

“Running as an independent is the fair way to go because judges shouldn’t play politics,” Becker said.

Becker said his narrow loss in 2024 to Republican Sarah Thomas Kovoor “reinforced my commitment to serving the community and listening to voters across party lines. What I have consistently heard over the last two years is a desire to have a judge with real courtroom experience and independent judgment. As an independent candidate, I am accountable to the people, not a political party.”

Becker has 36 years of trial experience and said he has “tried more cases in the last 26 years in the Trumbull County Common Pleas Court than any attorney.”

Monday, the day before the primary, is the deadline for independent candidates to file to get on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.